EVIL
|names='EVIL' Takaaki Watanabe |image=EVIL.JPG |image_size= |caption= |height= |weight= |birth_date= |birth_place=Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan |trainer=Animal Hamaguchi |debut=May 13, 2011 }} is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by Animal Hamaguchi. Watanabe has worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) since his debut in 2011, and has also competed in the United States for companies including Global Force Wrestling (GFW) and Ring of Honor (ROH). He is currently working under the ring name Evil (stylized in all capital letters), where he is currently one-third of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion in his fourth reign, while also being a former one-time NEVER Openweight Champion, a former three-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion and the winner of the 2017 and 2018 World Tag League. Professional wrestling career New Japan Pro Wrestling (2011–2013) Watanabe made his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) on May 13, 2011, wrestling primarily as a Young Lion and in the lower cards of shows and remained with the promotion until October 2013, when after King of Pro-Wrestling, announced that he was being sent on a learning excursion to the United States. Ring of Honor (2014–2015) At Global Wars '15 the first night May 15 he teamed with Silas Young in a losing effort against Gedo and Moose. The following night May 16, he was defeated by Silas Young. On the June 27 episode of ROH Wrestling, he lost to Adam Page after Colby Corino attacked Watanabe. On the July 4 episode of ROH Wrestling Dalton Castle would defeat Watanabe. On July 23, ROH announced that House of Truth member Donovan Dijak will battle Watanabe in a singles match that will be taped exclusively for ROH's YouTube Wrestling Channel. This occurred July 24 at Death Before Dishonor XIII where Dijak defeated Watanabe. On August 22 at Field of Honor, Watanabe qualified for a ROH World Television Championship match by winning a 9-man gauntlet match. September 18 at All Star Extravaganza VII he teamed with Will Ferrara to defeat Donovan Dijak and Greg James. On September 19, Watanabe received his shot at The Television Title facing Jay Lethal but was unsuccessful in his attempt. Return to NJPW (2015–present) On October 12, 2015, Watanabe returned to NJPW at King of Pro-Wrestling, where he was revealed as Tetsuya Naito's associate during his match against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Watanabe's outside interfence in the match was stopped by Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata, leading to Naito suffering a loss. In a post-match interview, Naito gave Watanabe the new name "King of Darkness" Evil. Under the new name, Evil became affiliated with Naito's Los Ingobernables de Japón stable. In December, Evil and Naito won their block in the 2015 World Tag League with a record of five wins and one loss, advancing to the finals of the tournament. On December 9, Evil and Naito were defeated in the finals by Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma. In early March, Evil took part in the 2016 New Japan Cup in which he was eliminated in the first round by Tomohiro Ishii. On March 20, Evil unsuccessfully challenged Ishii for the ROH World Television Championship. Throughout July 18 to August 14, Evil entered the 2016 G1 Climax where he finished his block with four wins and five loses, thus failing to advance. Despite his failure to advance, Evil scored two big wins by defeating IWGP Intercontinental Champion Michael Elgin and NEVER Openweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata on the last day. On November 5 at Power Struggle, EVIL won his first title, when he defeated Katsuyori Shibata for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Ten days later, Evil lost the title back to Shibata in Singapore. At the end of the year, Evil took part in the 2016 World Tag League, teaming with stablemate Sanada. The two finished second in their block with a record of five wins and two losses, tied with block winners Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma, but failed to advance to the finals due to losing the head-to-head match against Makabe and Honma. On January 4, 2017, at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome, Evil, BUSHI and SANADA won a four-team gauntlet match to become the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. They lost the title to Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi and Ryusuke Taguchi the next day, before regaining it on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka. In March, EVIL made it to the semifinals of the 2017 New Japan Cup, before losing to Bad Luck Fale. On April 4, L.I.J. lost the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi in their second defense, before regaining it on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2017. During the 2017 G1 Climax on August 5, EVIL picked up a major win over reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Okada's first singles defeat in nearly a year. EVIL went on to finish third in his block with a record of six wins and three losses. On October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling, EVIL received his first shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by Okada. In December, EVIL and SANADA won their block in the 2017 World Tag League with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the finals of the tournament. On December 11, they defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) in the finals to win the tournament. Six days later, EVIL, BUSHI and SANADA lost the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Guerrillas of Destiny and Bad Luck Fale in their fourth defense. On January 4, 2018, at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome, Evil and Sanada defeated the Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the first time. They lost the titles to The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) on June 9 at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall. Later that night, EVIL saved his L.I.J. stablemate Tetsuya Naito from a post-match assault against Chris Jericho. From July 14 until August 11, EVIL took part in the 2018 G1 Climax, finishing the tournament with a record of five wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. On October 8, at King of Pro-Wrestling, EVIL was scheduled to face Zack Sabre Jr., but he was attacked by Jericho during his entrance. He unsuccessfully challenged Jericho for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on November 3 at Power Struggle. From November 17 until December 7, EVIL and SANADA took part of the 2018 World Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record of ten wins and three losses, advancing to the finals. On December 9, EVIL and SANADA defeated reigning IWGP Tag Team Champions Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) to win the 2018 World Tag League, becoming the second ever team to win the tournament in two consecutive years. On January 4, 2019 at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome, EVIL and SANADA defeated the Guerrillas of Destiny and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) in a three-way match to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the second time. They lost the titles to Guerrillas of Destiny on February 23, 2019 at Honor Rising: Japan. From July 6 until August 10, EVIL took part in the 2019 G1 Climax, where he finished the tournament with a record of four wins and five losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament. Despite this, EVIL against Kota Ibushi during the tournament, resulted in EVIL challenging Ibushi for his Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship match contract. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, EVIL unsucessfully challenged Ibushi for his Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate. From November 16 until December 8, EVIL and SANADA took part in the 2019 World Tag League. EVIL and SANADA entered the final day with a chance to win the tournament, but a loss against Juice Robinson and David Finlay cost them the chance to win the tournament. On January 5, 2020, in the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome, EVIL, BUSHI and Shingo Takagi won a four-team gauntlet match to become the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' **''Banshee Muzzle'' (Arm trap facelock) **''Everything Is Evil (STO) **''Darkness Scorpion ''(Sharpshooter) *'Signature moves''' **''Darkness Falls'' (Fireman's carry spinebuster) **Discus Lariat **Double arm suplex **Fisherman buster **German suplex **Half & Half suplex **Running elbow **Standing modifed indian deathlock surfboard stomp **Uppercut *'With Tetsuya Naito' **'Double-team finishing moves' ***''Out of Control'' (Double-team gorilla press slam) *'With SANADA' **'Double-team finishing moves' ***''Magic Killer'' (Aided snap swinging neckbreaker) *'Nicknames' **'"King of Darkness"' *'Entrance themes' **"Go for Broke" by Yonosuke Kitamura (2011–2013) **'"Black Deeds"' by Yonosuke Kitamura (2015–present) Championships and accomplishments *'New Japan Pro Wrestling' **IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with SANADA **NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship (4 times, current) – with BUSHI and SANADA (3) and BUSHI and Shingo Takagi (1, current) **NEVER Openweight Championship (1 time) **World Tag League (2017, 2018) – with SANADA *''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' **PWI ranked him #'229' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2016 **PWI ranked him #'168' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2017 References Category:Wrestlers Category:NJPW Roster Category:Los Ingobernables de Jápon Category:NJPW Dojo